Initial Acceptance

Right as tassels were turned and caps flew into the air, I got news that shaped the next chapter of my journey. After a two-part interview process, I was offered the position of Cole Fellow at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site on the very day of my college graduation! It added to the whirlwind of emotions: the joy of finishing one chapter, the bittersweet reality of saying “goodbye for now” to my Raleigh community and the excitement (and nerves) of a big move to New York’s Hudson River Valley.

I feel honored to have been selected from a large pool of applicants and cannot wait to put the skills I gained in college to work on new research, writing and creative projects. For those less familiar, Thomas Cole was the founder of the Hudson River School of painting, the first major art movement in America. His work captured both the grandeur and fragility of the natural landscape, shaping how Americans saw their environment in the 19th century and beyond. To be part of a fellowship rooted in his home and legacy is a true honor and I’m eager to explore how his ideas continue to resonate today.